Oak  Street 
UNCLASSIFIED 


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OF  FICJE. 


Wake  Forest  College 


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CIRCULAR  OF  INFORMATION 

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HISTORY 

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Wake  Forest  College 


CIRCULAR  OF  INFORMATION 

HISTORY 


EDWARDS  <k  BROUGHTON,  PRINTERS  AND  BINDERS, 
RALEIGH,  N.  C. 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2017  with  funding  from 

University  of  Illinois  Urbana-Champaign  Alternates 


https://archive.org/details/wakeforestcollegOOwake 


History. 


ORIGIN. 

During  the  first  quarters  of  the  19th  century  there  were 
few  schools  in  North  Carolina.  The  State  University  was  the 
only  institution  of  higher  learning.  The  efforts  to  organize 
a public  school  system  had  proved  futile.  During  this  period 
there  came  into  North  Carolina  several  well  trained  young 
Baptist  ministers.  Among  these  were  Samuel  Wait,  Thomas 
Meredith,  and  John  Armstrong.  They  found  many  Bap- 
tists, but  these  were  without  organization  or  an  educated 
ministry.  Under  the  leadership  of  these  men,  the  Baptists 
of  the  State  organized  their  Convention,  one  of  whose  chief 
purposes  was  the  preparation  of  young  men  “called  to  the 
ministry.”  There  was  no  school  under  Baptist  control  to 
which  these  young  men  could  be  sent.  There  were  in  the 
State,  however,  schools  taught  by  Baptists.  These  young 
men  were  sent  to  them  and  part  of  the  expenses  were  borne 
by  the  Convention.  The  need  of  a school  of  their  own  was 
felt  to  be  urgent.  At  the  second  annual  session  of  the  Con- 
vention, in  1832,  a committee  was  appointed  that  planned 
such  a school. 

WAKE  FOREST  INSTITUTE. 

This  committee  purchased  the  farm  of  Dr.  Calvin  Jones, 
seventeen  miles  north  of  Raleigh,  containing  615  acres,  for 
which  the  sum  of  $2,500  was  paid.  Manual  labor  schools 
were  popular  at  that  time.  The  Baptists  of  Virginia,  South 
Carolina,  and  Georgia,  were  adopting  the  system.  The 
Convention  committee  thought  that  the  system  would  suit 
the  needs  in  North  Carolina,  and  that  manual  labor  in  con- 
nection with  study  would  not  only  tend  to  preserve  health, 
but  also  assist  in  defraying  the  expenses  of  the  students. 
The  Legislature  of  1833  grudgingly  granted  a meagre  char- 


4 


Wake  Forest  Coeeege. 


ter  for  a manual  labor  and  classical  institute.  Samuel  Wait 
was  chosen  principal.  The  Convention  placed  the  entire 
management  of  the  property  in  the  hands  of  a self-perpetu- 
ating Board  of  Trustees.  In  February,  1834,  Principal 
Wait  opened  the  Institute  with  sixteen  students.  For  sev- 
eral years  the  only  buildings  were  those  on  the  farm.  For 
a year  Principal  Wait  was  the  only  teacher.  Others  were 
added  as  the  institution  grew.  For  five  years  the  manual 
labor  feature  was  continued,  but  without  success.  The 
number  of  students,  however,  increased  rapidly  for  two 
years,  reaching  142,  and  then  fell  off  to  51.  In  1838,  the 
manual  labor  feature  was  abolished  and  the  Institute  was 
re-chartered  as  Wake  Forest  College. 

beginning  oe  the  coeeege. 

The  equipment  of  the  farm,  the  erection  of  a proper  build- 
ing, and  the  annual  deficit  in  the  running  expenses,  made  a 
debt  that  hampered  the  institution  for  its  first  fifteen  years. 
Variations  in  the  price  of  food  supplies  caused  a yearly  loss 
in  the  steward's  department.  The  years  1837  and  1839  were 
years  of  financial  panic.  Subscriptions  were  not  paid,  pat- 
ronage diminished,  and  debts  increased.  The  educational 
spirit  was  not  strong  enough  to  remove  these  obstacles.  The 
Trustees,  desiring  none  to  be  turned  away,  maintained  a 
faculty  of  men  well-trained  in  the  universities  of  the  North, 
and  continued  to  hope  for  better  days.  Principal  Wait 
spent  much  of  his  time  in  the  field  endeavoring  to  collect 
funds  to  meet  the  obligations.  Money  was  borrowed  from 
the  Literary  Fund  of  the  State,  but  soon  all  these  obligations 
became  due.  Finally  in  1849,  through  the  efforts  of  James 
S.  Purefoy,  William  Crenshaw,  George  W.  Thompson,  and 
a few  other  devoted  friends  of  the  College,  the  incubus  of  an 
increasing  debt  of  $20,000  was  removed.  Many  years  were 
yet  to  follow  before  the  income  would  be  able  to  meet  the 
expenses  of  the  institution. 


History. 


5 


BUILDINGS. 

Dormitory. — The  first  college  building  was  completed  in 
1838, — a large,  plain  structure,  costing  $14,000.  When 
erected  it  was  doubtless  the  best  school  building  in  North 
Carolina.  For  fifty  years  it  was  the  only  building  and 
served  all  the  purposes  of  the  College.  In  its  original  form, 
the  north  and  the  south  wing  contained  each  twenty-four 
bedrooms  the  central  portion  contained  the  Chapel,  the 
lecture  rooms,  and  the  Society  Halls. 

In  1900,  the  central  part  was  completely  remodeled  and 
refitted.  It  now  contains  the  administration  offices,  and  lec- 
ture rooms  for  the  Schools  of  Latin,  Greek,  English,  His- 
tory, Education,  the  Bible,  and  Applied  Mathematics. 

Library  Building. — In  1878,  through  the  munificence  of 
Col.  J.  M.  Heck  and  Mr.  John  G.  Williams,  both  of  Raleigh, 
the  present  Library  Building  was  erected.  The  center  is 
used  for  Library  and  Reading  Room.  The  Reading  Room 
was  equipped  through  the  generosity  of  Judge  Charles  M. 
Cooke  of  Louisburg.  The  wings  contain  lecture  rooms  for 
the  Schools  of  Mathematics  and  Law,  and  the  Halls  of  the 
Euzelian  and  Philomathesian  Literary  Societies. 

Wingate  Memorial  Hall. — On  the  death  of  President  W. 
M.  Wingate  in  1879,  h*s  friends  and  former  pupils  wished  to 
show  their  appreciation  of  his  years  of  service,  and  deemed 
that  a memorial  building  would  be  a fitting  monument.  This 
building,  erected  with  this  end  in  view,  contains  the  Audito- 
rium, the  lecture  room  of  the  School  of  Modern  Languages, 
and  the  lecture  room  and  laboratory  of  the  School  of  Phys- 
ics. The  subscriptions  for  the  erection  of  this  building  were 
secured  by  President  Taylor  and  James  S.  Purefoy. 

Lea  Laboratory. — In  1888  the  erection  of  a Chemical  Lab- 
oratory was  made  possible  largely  through  the  liberality  of 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sidney  S.  Lea,  of  Caswell  County.  This 
building,  one  of  the  best  of  its  kind  in  the  South,  contains  a 


6 


Wake;  Fore;st  College;. 


lecture  room,  private  laboratory,  class  laboratories,  and  stor- 
age room. 

Gymnasium. — In  1900  the  need  of  a gymnasium  was  so 
urgent  that  the  Trustees  ordered  the  erection  of  a suitable 
building  at  a cost  of  $12,000.  The  ground  floor  contains 
bath-rooms,  toilets,  and  storage  rooms;  the  main  floor  con- 
tains offices,  and  a room  eighty  by  fifty  feet,  equipped  with 
modern  apparatus.  The  equipment  is  renewed  and  increased 
year  by  year. 

Alumni  Building. — The  most  recently  erected  building  is 
the  Alumni  Building,  which  has  just  been  completed  and  is 
now  being  equipped  for  the  Schools  of  Biology  and  Medi- 
cine. It  is  the  most  handsome  building  on  the  Campus,  is 
three  stories  in  height,  well-lighted  and  arranged  for  labora- 
tories and  lecture  rooms.  The  funds  for  this  building  were 
secured  through  the  agency  of  Professor  J.  B.  Carlyle. 

Infirmary. — This  building,  now  in  process  of  erection,  in 
the  southwest  corner  of  the  Campus,  will  contain  two  wards, 
an  operating  room,  a dining-room,  a kitchen,  seven  private 
rooms,  and  verandas  on  two  sides,  above  and  below. 

Faculty. 

The  early  Faculty  was  composed  of  New  England  men. 
Most  of  them  had  been  graduated  from  Brown  University 
while  Dr.  Francis  Wayland  was  president.  These  men 
brought  high  ideals  of  scholarship  and  learning.  Others  of 
the  Faculty  were  graduates  of  Columbian  College,  Washing- 
ton City.  Even  the  Wake  Forest  Institute  had  a faculty 
composed  of  graduates.  Upon  the  resignation  of  President 
Wait  in  1845,  his  successor  was  Dr.  William  Hooper,  one  of 
the  most  scholarly  men  in  the  South.  Later  the  University 
of  North  Carolina  and  Wake  Forest  Institute  contributed  to 
the  teaching  force.  In  more  recent  years  the  Johns  Hop- 
kins University,  the  University  of  Chicago,  Cornell  Univer- 
sity, the  University  of  Virginia,  and  Columbia  University 


History. 


7 


have  furnished  teachers.  The  Faculty  now  consists  of  sev- 
enteen professors  and  a number  of  assistants  in  the  various 
departments. 

ENDOWMENT. 

For  fifteen  years  the  College  had  no  endowment.  In  1849 
the  first  money  was  given  for  this  purpose.  Mr.  Barclay 
Powers,  of  Warren  County,  gave  James  S.  Purefoy  ten  dol- 
lars for  endowment.  In  1852  the  Trustees  resolved  to  raise 
fifty  thousand  dollars.  In  October,  1852,  W.  M.  Wingate, 
of  the  class  of  1849,  was  elected  agent.  In  two  years  he 
raised  thirty-seven  thousand  dollars  in  subscriptions.  By 
1854  there  were  forty-two  thousand  dollars  in  subscriptions, 
with  ten  thousand  dollars  in  legacies  for  Ministerial  Edu- 
cation. These  legacies  were  made  by  Rev.  Wm.  H.  Merrit 
of  Orange  County,  William  Warren  of  Person,  and  John 
Blount  of  Edenton.  On  some  of  these  very  little  was  ever  re- 
alized. The  affairs  of  the  College  were  now  in  a hopeful  con- 
dition, but  it  was  realized  that  the  method  of  raising  endow- 
ment by  the  sale  of  perpetual  scholarships,  did  not  materially 
improve  the  condition  of  the  College.  In  1856  the  Board  of 
Trustees  met  in  Raleigh  with  the  Baptist  State  Convention, 
and  resolved  to  raise  fifty  thousand  dollars  of  unencumbered 
endowment.  A committee  was  appointed,  consisting  of 
James  S.  Purefoy,  J.  J.  James,  W.  M.  Wingate,  and  John 
Mitchell.  The  plans  of  the  committee  were  adopted  by  the 
Board  of  Trustees,  and  when  the  Convention  re-assembled 
President  Wingate  introduced  the  following  resolution : “Re- 
solved, that  we  have  heard  with  pleasure  the  plan  proposed 
by  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  Wake  Forest  College,  to  raise 
an  unencumbered  fund  of  fifty  thousand  dollars  for  the  en- 
dowment of  Wake  Forest  College.”  A feeling  of  deep  and 
solemn  interest  and  anxiety  pervaded  the  entire  body,  as  well 
as  the  crowd  of  spectators  in  the  galleries  of  Commons  Hall. 
As  the  last  speaker  closed,  C.  W.  Skinner,  a charter  mem- 


8 


Wake  Forest  Coeeege. 


ber  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  1833,  subscribed  five  thou- 
sand dollars;  R.  Felton,  five  thousand;  C.  Wooten,  C.  D. 
Ellis,  and  President  Wingate,  a thousand  dollars  each.  Over 
twenty-five  thousand  dollars  was  subscribed  in  a few  min- 
utes. No  more  thrilling  meeting  was  ever  held  in  North 
Carolina.  An  old  record  reads  “and  surely  none  who  wit- 
nessed it  can  ever  forget  it,  or  cease  to  thank  God  that  they 
were  permitted  to  witness  it.”  Within  the  space  of  a year 
John  Mitchell,  the  general  agent  of  the  Board,  was  able  to 
report  that  the  entire  amount  had  been  subscribed.  In  June, 
i860,  there  had  been  collected  and  invested  forty  thousand 
and  five  hundred  dollars.  Many  subscriptions  had  never 
been  paid,  while  others  were  paid  in  Confederate  money. 
With  the  downfall  of  the  Confederacy  went  a large  part  of 
the  invested  funds.  Out  of  the  wreck  eleven  thousand  and 
seven  hundred  dollars  was  saved — largely  through  the  finan- 
cial judgment  of  the  treasurer,  James  S.  Purefoy.  In  1875, 
through  the  work  of  various  agents,  the  invested  funds 
amounted  to  twenty-five  thousand,  six  hundred  and  thirteen 
dollars  and  fifty-nine  cents.  In  1876,  Professor  Chas.  E. 
Taylor  collected  in  the  State  about  $10,000,  while  James  S. 
Purefoy  traveled  in  the  North  and  collected  $8,949.72.  By 
1880  the  endowment  had  again  reached  forty-six  thousand 
dollars,  as  in  1861. 

In  November,  1882,  Professor  Chas.  E.  Taylor  undertook 
to  raise  the  amount  to  one  hundred  thousand  dollars.  Pledges 
were  taken  on  the  condition  that  they  be  null  and  void  unless 
the  entire  amount  was  secured  in  cash  by  January  1,  1884. 
On  the  night  of  December  31,  1883,  the  Treasurer  had  in  his 
hands  an  endowment  of  one  hundred  thousand  dollars.  The 
largest  contributor  to  this  fund  was  Mr.  James  A.  Bostwick 
of  New  York,  who  gave  ten  thousand  dollars.  December 
31st  was  a notable  day.  All  day  and  far  into  the  night  came 
letters,  checks,  telegrams,  and  subscriptions,  but  the  cash  was 


History. 


9 


not  in  hand.  At  io  o’clock,  Professor  Taylor,  W.  H.  Pace, 
W.  G.  Simmons,  and  James  S.  Purefoy  decided  that  the  cash 
condition  had  not  been  met.  Then  they  agreed  to  pledge 
their  own  real  estate  by  mortgage  for  the  payment  of  the 
$5,000  pledged  but  not  yet  paid  in.  In  this  way  the  $100,000 
was  secured.  In  1885  Mr.  Bostwick  created  the  Bostwick 
Loan  Fund  for  indigent  young  men  by  a gift  of  $12,000.  In 
1886,  Mr.  Bostwick  made  a gift  of  $50,000.  These  dona- 
tions were  secured  through  the  labor  of  Professor  Taylor, 
who  had  then  become  President.  By  May,  1890,  the  total 
investments  amounted  to  $174,562.65.  In  this  year  it  was 
determined  to  increase  this  fund  so  that  the  College  might 
meet  its  growing  needs.  Mr.  Bostwick  generously  agreed 
to  add  one-half  to  whatever  amount,  up  to  $50,000,  should  be 
raised  by  March  1,  1891.  President  Taylor  took  the  field  and 
secured  $26,000.  In  this  way  nearly  $40,000  was  added  to 
the  endowment.  These  funds  have  been  carefully  guarded 
and  have  increased.  At  present  the  invested  funds  amount 
to  $210,176.93,  and  the  College  property  may  be  conserva- 
tively valued  at  $100,000. 

administration. 

1829-1845. — Samuel  Wait  was  the  only  Principal  of  the 
Institute  and  first  President  of  the  College.  His  adminis- 
tration covers  the  initial  period  from  February,  1834,  to 
June,  1845.  His  zeal  and  industry  were  untiring.  It  was 
necessary  to  white-wash  slave  cabins  and  use  them  for  dor- 
mitories. Beneficent  institutions  were  not  yet  popular  in  the 
State.  A division  in  the  denomination  on  these  questions 
was  about  to  take  place.  There  was  no  trained  ministry  to 
uphold  his  hands.  The  manual  labor  idea  was  an  experi- 
ment in  the  South  and  the  experiment  failed.  There  were 
no  loyal  alumni  as  yet  to  rally  to  the  support  of  the  institu- 
tion. President  Wait’s  influence  was  strong  among  the  most 
enlightened  and  progressive,  but  these  were  few.  Even  Bap- 


IO 


Wake  Forest  Coeeege. 


tists  did  not  patronize  the  institution.  The  increasing  debt 
made  many  of  them  think  that  it  would  fail.  In  1836  the  en- 
rollment reached  143,  but  by  1843  it  had  dropped  to  41.  In 
January,  1844,  President  Wait  resigned,  but  his  resignation 
was  not  accepted.  In  1845  he  resigned  again,  and  his  resig- 
nation was  accepted  to  take  place  in  June,  1845.  He  was  at 
once  elected  President  of  the  Board  of  Trustees,  which  posi- 
tion he  held  for  twenty-one  years.  He  loved  the  College 
with  a tender  devotion,  as  is  shown  by  his  letter  of  resigna- 
tion. 

1845-1840 — President  Wait’s  successor  was  Dr.  William 
Blooper,  the  grandson  of  William  Hooper,  signer  of  the 
Declaration  of  Independence;  a graduate  of  the  University 
of  North  Carolina,  and  a student  of  Theology  at  Princeton. 
In  1845  he  was  teaching  in  South  Carolina.  The  Trustees 
had  always  been  anxious  to  have  him  in  the  College.  He 
had  taken  great  interest  in  building  up  the  institution  and 
was  elected  the  first  president  of  the  Board  of  Trustees.  Pie 
had  also  been  elected  Professor  of  Moral  Philosophy  in 
1834,  but  had  declined.  Now  when  the  office  of  the  Presi- 
dency was  tendered  him  he  accepted.  To  this  position  he 
brought  polished  scholarship  and  fine  rhetorical  powers,  but 
these  were  not  the  needs  at  this  critical  juncture.  What 
was  most  needed  was  a financier,  for  financial  embarrass- 
ments were  crippling  the  institution.  Dr.  Hooper  became 
despondent  and  resigned  at  the  end  of  1848. 

1849-1855 — Dr.  Hooper’s  successor  was  John  B,  White, 
Professor  of  Mathematics  and  Natural  Philosophy.  Profes- 
sor White  had  been  with  the  institution  for  eleven  years. 
He  had  been  graduated  from  Brown,  had  studied  law,  had 
taught  in  the  schools  of  New  England,  and  in  1838  had 
come  to  Wake  Forest.  President  White  administered  the 
internal  affairs  of  the  institution.  The  finances  of  the  Col- 
lege were  largely  entrusted  to  James  S.  Purefoy.  The  debt 
had  now  become  embarrassing — especially  to  men  who,  like 


History. 


ii 


William  Crenshaw  and  James  S.  Purefoy,  had  assumed  the 
responsibility  for  its  payment.  It  was  during  White's  ad- 
ministration that  relief  was  obtained  from  the  debts.  In 
1853  President  White  resigned  and  returned  to  Illinois, 
where  he  took  charge  of  an  institution  for  girls. 

1854-1879. — After  the  Trustees  had  failed  to  secure  the 
services  of  several  men  elected,  they  chose  Washington 
Manly  Wingate  president.  This  administration  was  a long 
one,  extending  to  1879  ,when  President  Wingate  died.  The 
three-fold  object  of  this  administration  was  the  raising  of 
endowment,  the  abolition  of  the  preparatory  department, 
and  the  establishment  of  scholarships.  The  war  interrupted 
these  plans.  The  personality  of  the  President  and  his  gifts 
as  preacher  and  man  won  many  active  friends  for  the  Col- 
lege. He  was  the  first  to  bring  the  College  home  to  the 
people  and  place  it  on  their  hearts.  He  travelled  and  spoke 
much,  and  at  the  time  of  his  death  the  future  was  hopeful. 
Strong  men  had  been  brought  into  the  Faculty,  but  the 
expansion  was  greater  than  was  warranted  by  income.  It 
was  during  this  administration  that  Wake  Forest  began 
really  to  be  generally  felt  in  the  life  of  the  Baptist  denomi- 
nation. The  spirit  of  the  President  provoked  no  opposition ; 
students  felt  the  power  of  his  personality,  and  its  influence 
was  felt  throughout  the  entire  ranks  of  the  denomination. 

1879-1882. — Dr.  Thomas  H.  Pritchard  was  President 
Wingate's  successor.  This  administration  was  brief,  ending 
in  1882.  President  Pritchard  determined  to  increase  the 
patronage  of  the  institution,  and  this  he  did  by  speaking  in 
nearly  every  county  in  the  State.  He  found  the  enrollment 
1 17,  but  he  left  it  169.  Dr.  Pritchard's  short  administration 
did  much  to  popularize  the  cause  of  general  education  in 
North  Carolina. 

1884-1905. — In  1884  Charles  E.  Taylor,  Professor  of 
Latin,  was  chosen  president.  Plis  work  as  agent  for  the 
endowment  and  his  scholarly  attainments  had  already  been 


12 


Wake:  Fore:st  Cotmge;. 


felt  in  the  institution.  His  administration  extended  from 
1884  to  1905,  when  President  Taylor  resigned  to  devote  his 
time  more  fully  to  agency  and  to  teaching.  This  was  the 
notable  administration  in  the  history  of  the  College.  The 
work  done  is  destined  to  be  permanent  and  far-reaching. 
President  Taylor  came  to  Wake  Forest  in  1870  as  an  assist- 
ant in  Latin  and  German;  in  1871  he  was  made  Professor 
of  Latin,  and  in  1884  Professor  of  Moral  Philosophy  and 
History.  He  found  the  College  with  a meagre  endowment 
of  $40,000;  he  left  it  with  an  endowment  of  more  than 
$210,000.  The  strong  feature  of  his  plans  for  endowment 
has  been  to  secure  cash  rather  than  notes  and  subscriptions. 
He  became  president  of  a faculty  of  six  professors  and  one 
tutor;  in  1905,  the  Faculty  numbered  seventeen  professors 
and  six  assistants.  The  enrollment  increased  from  161  to 
328.  The  equipment,  also,  was  greatly  increased.  The  Lea 
Laboratory,  the  Gymnasium,  and  the  Alumni  Building  were 
erected,  and  the  other  buildings  remodelled  and  improved. 
The  campus  has  been  beautified,  from  an  old  field  of  gullies 
and  pines,  into  a park.  In  accepting  the  presidency,  Dr. 
Taylor  had  declared  that  he  "might  not  make  Wake  Forest 
a large  institution,  but  he  hoped  to  make  it  a good  one.” 
How  well  he  succeeded  the  loyalty  of  the  alumni  and  friends 
speaks  in  strong  terms. 

In  1905  Dr.  Taylor  resigned  and  was  succeeded  by  Dr. 
William  Louis  Poteat,  whose  administration  is  now  in  its 
first  year. 

CHARTER  HISTORY. 

In  1833  the  following  Charter  of  "Wake  Forest  Insti- 
tute” was  granted  : 

AN  ACT  TO  ESTABLISH  A LITERARY  AND  MANUAL  LABOR  INSTITUTION 
IN  THE  COUNTY  OF  WAKE. 

I.  Be  it  enacted  by  the  General  Assembly  of  the  State  of  North 
Carolina,  and  it  is  hereby  enacted  by  the  authority  of  the  same,  That 
William  P.  Biddle,  John  Armstrong,  William  Sanders  of  the  county 


History. 


13 


of  Craven,  Isaac  Beeson  of  Guilford,  James  Watkins  of  Anson, 
Thomas  Boyd  of  Mecklenburg,  John  Portevant  of  Brunswick,  Thomas 
Stradley  of  Buncombe,  Hugh  Quinn  of  Lincoln,  Alfred  Dockery  of 
Richmond,  William  Crenshaw,  George  W.  Thompson,  Allen  S.  Wynn, 
William  Roles,  Alfred  Birt,  John  Purify  of  Wake,  Simon  J.  Jelfers, 
Thomas  Crocker,  Allen  Bowden  of  Franklin,  James  King  of  Person, 
John  Culpepper,  Sen.,  of  Montgomery,  John  McDaniel,  Charles  Mc- 
Callister  of  Cumberland,  Aaron  J.  Spivey,  Joseph  B.  Outlaw,  Turner 
Carter  of  Bertie,  Henry  Austin  of  Edgecombe,  Daniel  Boon,  David 
Thompson  of  Johnston,  Paul  Phifer  of  Rowan,  Alexander  Moseley  of 
Lenoir,  George  M.  Thompson  of  Pasquotank,  Joseph  Halsey  of  Tyr- 
rell, Charles  W.  Skinner  of  Perquimans,  William  Hooper  of  Orange, 
Amos  J.  Battle  of  Nash,  Josiah  Wiseman  of  Davidson,  Stephen  Gra- 
ham, Geo.  W.  Hufiham  of  Duplin,  and  David  S.  Williams  of  Sampson, 
be,  and  they  are  hereby,  constituted  a body  corporate  and  politic  for 
the  purpose  of  educating  youth,  and  for  no  other  purpose  whatever, 
by  the  name  and  style  of  “The  Trustees  of  the  Wake  Forest  Insti- 
tute” ; and  by  that  name  shall  have  a perpetual  succession  and  a com- 
mon seal,  and  be  able  and  capable  in  law  to  sue  and  be  sued,  plead 
and  be  impleaded,  in  all  courts  either  in  law  or  equity;  and  shall 
take,  demand,  receive  and  possess  all  moneys,  goods  and  chattels 
which  may  be  given;  and  all  donations  made  shall  be  applied,  accord- 
ing to  the  wish  of  the  donor,  to  the  purposes  therein  declared ; and  by 
purchase  or  otherwise  to  take,  hold  and  possess,  to  them  and  their 
successors  forever,  any  lands  sufficient  for  the  purposes  of  said  insti- 
tution, rents  and  tenements,  in  special  trust  and  confidence,  and  to 
apply  the  same,  together  with  the  profits  arising  therefrom,  to  the 
use  and  purpose  of  endowing  and  supporting  said  institution;  and 
may  purchase  and  hold  for  the  purposes  aforesaid  such  chattels  and 
personal  property  as  they  may  deem  necessary : Provided , the  amount 
of  real  and  personal  estate  held  by  this  institution  shall  not  at  any 
one  time  exceed  fifty  thousand  dollars. 

II.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  That  in  case  of  the  death,  resigna- 
tion, refusal  to  act,  or  removal  from  the  State  of  any  of  the  said 
trustees  for  the  time  being,  then  the  surviving  trustees,  a majority 
being  present,  shall  fill  said  vacancies. 

III.  And  be  it  further  enacted , That  the  said  Trustees  shall  have 
power  to  auppoint  their  own  president,  secretary,  and  treasurer, 
and  such  professors,  tutors  and  all  officers  in  and  over  the  said  insti- 
tution, as  they  shall  deem  qualified  to  discharge  the  duties  of  their 


14 


Wake  Forest  College. 


several  offices,  and  may  remove  the  same  for  misbehaviour,  inability 
or  neglect  of  duty;  they  shall  have  power  to  make  all  necessary  by- 
laws and  regulations,  not  inconsistent  with  the  Constitution  and  laws 
of  the  State,  for  the  government  of  the  said  institution;  and  the 
said  trustees  shall  hold  meetings  from  time  to  time,  as  often  as  neces- 
sity may  require;  and  that  nine  trustees  shall  constitute  a quorum 
to  transact  all  manner  of  business  in  relation  to  said  institution. 

IV.  Be  it  further  enacted , that  all  the  real  estate  belonging  to  the 
said  corporation  shall  be  subject  to  taxation  as  other  real  estate. 

V.  Be  it  further  enacted , That  the  provisions  of  said  act  shall 
continue  in  force  twenty  years  and  no  longer. 

The  following  amendment  to  the  Charter,  ratified  Decem- 
ber 28,  1838,  changed  the  name  of  the  institution  to  Wake 
Forest  College: 

AN  ACT  TO  AMEND  AN  ACT  ENTITLED  AN  ACT  TO  ESTABLISH  A LITER- 
ARY AND  MANUAL  LABOR  INSTITUTION  IN  THE  COUNTY  OF  WAKE, 

PASSED  IN  ONE  THOUSAND  EIGHT  HUNDRED  AND  THIRTY-THREE. 

I.  Be  it  enacted  by  the  General  Assembly  of  the  State  of  North 
Carolina,  and  it  is  hereby  enacted  by  the  authority  of  the  same , That 
the  before  recited  act  shall  continue  and  be  in  full  force  and  opera- 
tion, except  so  far  as  it  may  be  hereby  repealed,  for  the  term  of  fifty 
years  from  the  expiration  of  the  present  charter  now  to  be  amended, 
and  that  the  successors  of  the  trustees  hereby  appointed  shall  con- 
tinue to  possess  and  enjoy  all  the  rights  and  privileges  thereby 
granted,  and  that  in  future  they  shall  be  known  by  the  name  and 
style  of  “The  Trustees  of  Wake  Forest  College, ” and  by  that  name 
shall  have  succession,  and  may  take,  demand,  receive,  possess,  and 
enjoy  all  property  or  moneys  which  may  be  acquired  by  them  by  gift, 
devise,  or  otherwise,  provided  the  same  shall  not  exceed  in  amount 
two  hundred  thousand  dollars,  and  shall  dispose  of  the  same  in  pro- 
moting learning  and  virtue  in  the  establishment  aforesaid,  situate  in 
Wake  Forest,  in  the  county  of  Wake,  according  to  the  will  of  the 
donor,  or  donors;  thereof. 

II.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  the  Faculty  of  said  Wake  Forest 
College,  that  is  to  say,  the  president  and  professors,  by  and  with 
the  consent  of  the  trustees,  shall  have  the  power  of  conferring  all 
such  degrees  or  marks  of  literary  distinction  as  are  usually  conferred 
in  colleges  or  universities. 


History. 


i5 


III.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  if  any  member  of  the  trustees  of 
said  college  shall  fail  to  give  his  personal  attendance  at  any  of  the 
meetings  of  said  board  for  the  term  of  three  years,  the  seat  of  said 
absent  trustee  shall  be,  and  is  hereby  declared  to  be,  vacated,  and 
the  trustees  are  hereby  authorized  to  fill  the  same,  as  is  provided 
in  the  act  aforesaid,  and  that  said  trustees  may  also  remove  any 
member  of  their  board  for  improper  conduct:  Provided , that  the 
cause  thereof  shall  be  entered  on  their  journal,  and  that  the  mem- 
ber to  be  proceeded  against  shall  have  three  months’  notice  of  the 
procedure,  and  that  a majority  of  two-thirds  of  the  trustees  then 
assembled  shall  be  necessary  to  effect  such  removal. 

IV.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  the  lands  and  other  property  be- 
longing to  the  said  trustees  for  the  benefit  of  the  said  college,  shall 
be,  and  the  same  is  hereby,  exempted  from  all  kinds  of  public  tax- 
ation, provided  the  amount  of  lands  so  exempted  shall  not  exceed 
at  any  time  six  hundred  acres. 

V.  Be  it  further  enacted , That  no  license  to  retail  spirituous  liq- 
uors at  the  site,  or  within  one  mile  of  said  college  shall  be  granted, 
and  if  granted,  the  same  shall  be  void. 

VI.  Be  it  further  enacted , That  no  person  shall  set  up  or  keep 
any  billiard  table,  or  other  public  table  constructed  or  erected  for 
playing  games  of  chance  by  whatever  name  called,  and  no  person 
shall  exhibit  any  theatrical,  sleight-of-hand  or  equestrian  perform- 
ance, dramatic  recitation,  rope  or  wire  dancing,  or  natural  or  arti- 
ficial curiosities  at  the  college  aforesaid,  or  within  one  mile  thereof, 
without  the  permission,  in  writing,  of  the  Faculty  thereof,  and  any 
person  or  persons  offending  herein,  or  who  shall  sell,  give,  or  convey 
to  the  students  of  said  college  any  intoxicating  liquors  at  or  within 
one  mile  of  said  college,  without  the  special  permission,  in  writing, 
of  the  Faculty  of  said  college,  shall  forfeit  and  pay  the  sum  of  one 
hundred  dollars,  to  be  recovered  in  any  court  of  record  having  cog- 
nizance of  the  same,  one-half  to  the  use  of  the  informer  and  the 
other  to  the  college,  and  any  person  or  persons  offending  herein  shall 
be  guilty  of  a misdemeanor,  and  upon  conviction  in  the  County  or 
Superior  Court  of  Wake  shall  be  fined  at  the  discretion  of  the 
court . 

VII.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  That  this  act  shall  be  in  force 
from  and  after  the  ratification  thereof. 


i6 


Wake:  Forest  College. 


On  March  n,  1875,  the  Charter  was  amended  as  follows: 

AN  ACT  TO  AMEND  AN  ACT  RATIFIED  THE  TWENTY-EIGHTH  OF  DECEM- 
BER, ONE  THOUSAND  EIGHT  HUNDRED  AND  THIRTY-EIGHT,  ENTITLED 
“AN  ACT  TO  AMEND  AN  ACT  TO  ESTABLISH  A LITERARY  AND  MANUAL 
LABOR  INSTITUTION  IN  THE  COUNTY  OF  WAKE.  PASSED  IN  ONE 
THOUSAND  EIGHT  HUNDRED  AND  THIRTY-THREE.” 

Section  1.  The  General  Assembly  of  North  Carolina  do  enact , 
That  an  act  ratified  the  twenty-eighth  of  December,  one  thousand 
eight  hundred  and  thirty-eight,  and  entitled  “An  act  to  amend  an 
act  entitled  an  act  to  establish  a literary  and  manual  labor  institu- 
tion in  the  county  of  Wake,  passed  in  one  thousand  eight  hundred 
and  thirty-three,”  shall  be  amended  to  read  as  follows : W.  T. 
Brooks,  T.  IT.  Pritchard,  J.  M.  Heck,  J.  H.  Foote,  W.  T.  Walters, 
A.  McDowell,  R.  D.  Graham,  A.  R.  Vann,  James  Poteat,  J.  S. 
Purefoy,  W.  W.  Vass,  John  Mitchell,  G.  R.  French,  J.  D.  Hufham, 
John  Kerr,  J.  H.  Mills,  G.  W.  Thompson,  Haynes  Lennon,  W.  R. 
Gwaltney,  G.  W.  Blount,  F.  M.  Jordan,  W.  H.  Avera,  G.  W. 
Purefoy,  M.  L.  Eure,  J.  C.  Hiden,  Peterson  Dunn,  R.  R.  Overby, 
J.  C.  Scarborough,  R.  H.  Marsh,  C.  M.  Cooke,  B.  G.  Covington, 
J.  G.  Williams,  William  Turner,  J.  B.  Richardson,  C.  J.  Nelson, 
W.  H.  Mitchell,  J.  L.  Stewart,  and  their  successors,  be,  and  they  are 
hereby  declared  to  be,  a body  politic  and  corporate  for  the  purpose 
of  educating  youth,  to  be  known  and  distinguished  by  the  name  and 
style  of  “The  Trustees  of  Wake  Forest  College,”  and  by  this  name 
and  style  they  shall  have  perpetual  succession  and  a common  seal, 
and  shall  be  able  and  capable  in  law  to  sue  and  be  sued,  plead  and 
be  impleaded  in  all  the  courts,  and  shall  take,  receive  and  possess 
all  moneys,  goods  and  chattels  which  may  be  given  to  them,  and  shall 
apply  the  same,  according  to  the  wish  of  the  donors,  to  the  purpose 
herein  declared;  and  they  shall  have  power,  by  purchase  or  other- 
wise, to  take,  demand,  hold  and  possess,  rents  and  tenements  in 
special  trust  and  confidence,  and  apply  the  same,  together  with  the 
profits  arising  therefrom,  to  the  purpose  of  endowing  and  supporting 
said  Wake  Forest  College  ; and  they  may  purchase,  for  the  purposes 
aforesaid,  such  chattels  and  real  estate  as  they  may  deem  necessary, 
and  may  dispose  of  the  same  in  promoting  learning  and  virtue  in  the 
college  aforesaid,  situated  in  Wake  Forest,  in  the  county  of  Wake: 
Provided , That  the  amount  of  real  and  personal  property  held  by 
the  said  trustees  shall  not  at  any  one  time  exceed  the  sum  of  five 
hundred  thousand  dollars. 

Sec.  2.  That  in  the  event  of  the  death,  resignation,  refusal  to 


History. 


17 


act,  or  removal  from  the  State  of  any  of  the  trustees  for  the  time 
being,  then  the  remaining  trustees  shall  have  the  power  to  fill  the 
vacancies  created. 

Sec.  3.  That  if  any  one  of  the  trustees  shall  fail  to  attend  the 
meetings  of  the  said  trustees  continuously  for  the  time  of  three 
years,  his  seat  is  hereby  declared  to  be  vacated,  and  the  said  trus- 
tees are  authorized  to  fill  the  same  as  in  case  of  death,  resignation, 
refusal  to  act,  or  removal  from  the  State. 

Sec. 4.  That  the  trustees  shall  have  the  power  to  remove  any 
member  of  their  board  for  improper  conduct:  Provided , that  the 
cause  thereof  shall  be  entered  on  their  journal:  And  provided  fur- 
ther, that  the  accused  shall  have  three  months’  notice  of  the  pro- 
cedure, and  that  a majority  of  two-thirds  of  the  members  present 
shall  be  necessary  to  effect  such  removal. 

Sec.  5.  That  the  said  trustees  shall  have  the  power  to  appoint 
their  own  president,  secretary  and  treasurer,  and  such  professors, 
tutors,  and  other  officers  in  and  over  said  college  as  they  shall  deem 
qualified  to  discharge  the  duties  of  their  several  offices,  and  may 
remove  the  same  for  misbehavior,  inability,  or  neglect  of  duty;  they 
shall  moreover  have  power  to  make  all  necessary  rules  and  regula- 
tions, not  inconsistent  with  the  laws  of  the  State,  for  the  govern- 
ment of  said  college. 

Sec.  6.  That  the  said  trustees  shall  hold  meetings  from  time  to 
time,  as  often  as  necessity  may  require,  and  nine  trustees  shall  con- 
stitute a quorum  for  the  transaction  of  all  kinds  of  business. 

Sec.  7.  That  the  Faculty  of  said  Wake  Forest  College,  by  the  ad- 
vice and  consent  of  the  said  trustees,  shall  have  power  to  confer  all 
such  degrees  and  marks  of  literary  distinction  as  are  usually  con- 
ferred by  colleges  and  universities. 

Sec.  8.  That  the  lands  and  other  property  belonging  to  the  said 
trustees  for  the  benefit  of  said  college  shall  be,  and  the  same  are 
hereby,  exempted  from  all  kinds  of  public  taxation:  Provided , That 
the  amount  of  lands  so  exempted  shall  not  exceed  three  hundred 
acres . 

Sec.  9.  That  no  license  to  retail  any  spirituous  or  intoxicating 
liquors  at  or  within  three  miles  of  said  college  shall  be  granted,  and  if 
granted  the  same  shall  be  void. 

Sec.  10.  That  if  any  person  shall  sell,  give,  or  carry  to  any 
student  or  students  of  said  college,  at  or  within  three  miles  from 
the  site  thereof,  any  spirituous  or  intoxicating  liquor,  without  special 
permission  in  writing  from  the  Faculty  thereof,  the  same  shall 
forfeit  and  pay  the  sum  of  one  hundred  dollars,  to  be  recovered  in 


i8 


Wake;  Forest  College. 


any  court  of  record,  one-half  to  the  use  of  the  informant  and  the 
other  half  to  the  use  of  said  college,  and  the  offender  shall  more- 
over be  guilty  of  a misdemeanor,  and  upon  conviction  thereof  in  the 
Superior  Court  of  Wake  County  shall  be  fined  at  the  discretion  of 
the  court. 

Sec.  11.  That  no  person  shall  set  up  any  billiard  table,  bowling 
alley,  or  other  contrivance  for  playing  any  game  of  chance,  by  what 
ever  name  it  may  be  called,  or  exhibit  any  theatrical,  sleight-of-hand, 
or  equestrian  performance,  dramatic  recitation,  rope  or  wire  danc- 
ing, or  any  natural  or  artificial  curiosities  at  said  college,  or  within 
one  mile  thereof,  unless  by  permission  in  writing  from  the  Faculty 
thereof,  and  any  person  who  shall  offend  herein  shall  forfeit  and  pay 
the  sum  of  one  hundred  dollars,  to  be  recovered  in  any  court  of 
record,  one-half  to  the  use  of  the  informant,  and  the  other  half  to  the 
use  of  said  college. 

Sec.  12.  That  all  laws  conflicting  with  any  of  the  provisions  of 
this  act  be,  and  they  are  hereby,  repealed. 

Sec.  13.  That  this  act  shall  be  in  force  for  fifty  years  from  and  after 
the  date  of  its  ratification. 

Ratified  the  11th  day  of  March,  A.  D.,  1875. 

On  February  14,  1879,  the  charter  was  amended  as  fol- 
lows : 

AN  ACT  TO  AMEND  CHAPTER  EIGHTY-THREE  OF  THE  PRIVATE  LAWS  OF 

ONE  THOUSAND  EIGHT  HUNDRED  AND  SEVENTY-FOUR  AND  ONE  THOU- 
SAND EIGHT  HUNDRED  AND  SEVENTY-FIVE  IN  REGARD  TO  WAKE  FOR- 
EST COLLEGE. 

Section  1.  The  General  Assembly  of  North  Carolina  do  enact , 
That  chapter  eighty-three  of  the  Private  Laws  of  one  thousand  eight 
hundred  and  seventy-four  and  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and 
seventy-five,  be,  and  the  same  is  hereby  amended  by  striking  out  all 
of  sections  nine  and  ten,  and  inserting  in  the  lieu  and  stead  thereof, 
the  following: 

“Sec.  9.  That  if  any  person  at  or  within  three  miles  of  the  site 
of  said  college  shall  sell  any  alcoholic  liquors,  distilled  or  undistilled, 
or  any  brandy-peaches  or  other  alcoholic  fruits,  or  any  spirituous 
or  intoxicating  bitters  or  beverages  by  whatever  name  they  may  be 
called;  or  shall  without  special  permission  in  writing  by  the  Faculty 
thereof,  give  or  convey  the  same  to  any  student  or  students  thereof, 
at  or  within  three  miles  from  the  site  thereof,  he  shall  for  each 
offence  forfeit  and  pay  the  sum  of  one  hundred  dollars,  to  be  re- 
covered in  any  court  of  record,  one  half  to  the  use  of  the  informant 


History. 


19 


and  the  other  half  to  the  use  of  said  college;  and  the  offender  shall 
moreover  be  guilty  of  a misdemeanor,  and  upon  conviction  thereof 
in  the  Superior  Court  shall  be  fined  in  the  discretion  of  the  court.” 

Sec.  2.  That  all  laws  and  clauses  of  laws  in  conflict  with  this  act 
are  hereby  repealed. 

Sec.  3.  That  this  act  shall  be  in  force  from  and  after  its  ratifi 
cation . 

Ratified  the  14th  day  of  February,  A.  D.,  1879. 

On  January  20,  1881,  the  charter  was  amended  as  follows : 

AN  ACT  TO  AMEND  CHAPTER  THIRTEEN  OF  THE  PRIVATE  LAWS  OF  ONE 

THOUSAND  EIGHT  HUNDRED  AND  SEVENTY-NINE,  IN  REGARD  TO  WAKE 

FOREST  COLLEGE. 

Section  1.  The  General  Assembly  of  North  Carolina  do  enact, 
That  section  one  of  chapter  thirteen  of  the  Private  Laws  of  one 
thousand  eight  hundred  and  seventy-nine,  be,  and  the  same  is  hereby 
amended  by  striking  out  the  words  “three  miles,”  wherever  the  same 
shall  occur  in  said  section,  and  inserting  in  lieu  and  stead  thereof 
the  words  “five  miles.” 

Sec.  2.  That  all  laws  and  clauses  of  laws  in  conflict  with  this  act 
are  hereby  repealed. 

Sec.  3.  That  this  act  shall  be  in  force  from  and  after  its  ratifica- 
tion . 

Ratified  the  20th  day  of  January,  A.  D.  1881. 

The  following  amendment  was  made  March  11,  1889: 

AN  ACT  TO  AMEND  CHAPTER  EIGHTY-THREE  OF  THE  LAWS  OF  EIGHTEEN 

HUNDRED  AND  SEVENTY-FOUR  AND  EIGHTEEN  HUNDRED  AND  SEVENTY- 

FIVE,  IT  BEING  AN  ACT  AMENDING  THE  CHARTER  OF  WAKE  FOREST 

COLLEGE . 

Section  1.  The  General  Assembly  of  North  Carolina  do  enact, 
That  chapter  eighty-three  of  the  laws  of  eighteen  hundred  and 
seventy-four  and  eighteen  hundred  and  seventy-five,  be  amended 
by  striking  out  at  the  end  of  the  first  section  the  words  “five  hun- 
dred thousand  dollars,”  and  inserting  “one  million  dollars .” 

Sec.  2.  That  this  act  shall  be  in  force  from  and  after  its  ratifi- 
cation . 

Ratified  the  11th  day  of  March,  A.  D.,  1889. 

ORGANIZATION. 

The  system  of  independent  “ Schools”  is  now  an  estab- 
lished feature  of  the  College,  and  the  wisdom  of  the  system 


20 


Wake;  Forest  College. 


is  believed  to  have  been  demonstrated  by  long  and  thorough 
testing.  In  the  arrangement  of  the  courses  leading  to  the 
degree  of  Bachelor  of  Arts,  the  elective  principle  is  so 
guarded  as  to  make  it  impossible  to  secure  a diploma  by 
eliminations  fatal  to  solid  learning. 

There  is  no  preparatory  department  in  the  College.  It 
is,  however,  deemed  necessary  to  retain,  for  the  present, 
sub-collegiate  classes  in  Latin,  Greek,  Mathematics,  and 
English.  These  are  intended  to  meet  the  needs  of  two 
classes  of  young  men — those  who  are  unprepared  to  enter 
only  one  or  two  Schools  of  the  College,  and  those  who, 
though  somewhat  advanced  in  years,  wish  to  avail  them- 
selves of  the  incidental  advantages  of  the  College  during  a 
limited  period.  It  is  for  the  sake  of  such  young  men  that 
the  sub-collegiate  classes  are  retained  at  Wake  Forest  Col- 
lege, as,  in  some  form  and  under  some  name,  they  are  still 
retained  in  the  majority  of  colleges.  Those  students  who 
take  work  in  one  or  more  of  these  sub-collegiate  classes,  and 
those  who  are  members  of  collegiate  classes  only,  sustain 
the  same  relation  to  the  general  discipline  of  the  College. 

The  Faculty  urges  all  prospective  students  to  take  a thor- 
ough academic  course,  and  not  to  come  to  the  College  until 
they  are  well  prepared  to  enter  its  classes. 

LOCATION. 

The  location  of  the  College,  sixteen  miles  from  Raleigh,  in 
a high,  gently  rolling  and  healthful  country,  is  most  fortu- 
nate. Six  passenger  trains  of  the  Seaboard  Air  Line  stop 
daily  at  the  College.  There  are  six  mails  daily.  The  ex- 
press and  telegraph  offices  are  near  the  College  buildings. 
The  town  of  Wake  Forest  and  the  surrounding  neighborhood 
are  as  free  from  bad  influences  as  any  in  the  country.  The 
proximity  of  the  College  to  the  capital  of  the  State  affords 
many  of  the  advantages,  without  the  moral  dangers  of  city 
life. 


